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NCIS Bishops Mom

NCIS: 'Bionic Woman' Lindsay Wagner to Play Bishop's Mom During Sweeps

Somewhere, Jaime Sommers’ enhanced right ear is burning.

TVLine has learned that TV’s erstwhile Bionic Woman, Lindsay Wagner, will guest-star on CBS’ NCIS — as Agent Ellie Bishop’s mother.

Wagner will appear in the most watched drama’s final sweeps outing, airing Tuesday, Nov. 24, when Bishop has cause to take a Thanksgiving-time trip back home to Oklahoma.

“I’m super excited about it, because I’m a huge Lindsay Wagner fan going back to The Paper Chase,” NCIS showrunner Gary Glasberg told us. “Also, a bunch of our line producers worked on The Rockford Files, and not many people know this but she was actually in that pilot. So there is all kinds of behind-the-scenes enthusiasm. And Lindsay is excited, too.”

In addition to her three-season (and really fast!) run as The Bionic Woman (and the trio of TV-moves it spawned), Wagner’s more recent TV credits include episodes of Warehouse 13 and Alphas.

Want more scoop on NCIS, or for any other show? Email insideline@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line.

Comments are monitored, so don’t go off topic, don’t frakkin’ curse and don’t bore us with how much your coworker’s sister-in-law makes per hour. Talk smart about TV!

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38 Comments
  1. mary says:

    Don’t forget the Bionic Woman barbie doll. Yes I had one! And now I feel really old.

  2. Thanks so much for the casting scoop. I saw a tweet recently from Jamie Bramber that he going to be filming again so I’d love it if they were in the same episode.

  3. Mr. Tran K says:

    Lindsay Wagner will always be the hottest female butt kicker of the 1970s as The Bionic Woman. She’s a great fit as Bishop’s mom on NCIS.

  4. This is amazing casting! They even look alike. Can’t wait to see one of my childhood heroes on one of my favourite shows.

  5. Sandra L. says:

    NCIS s very good at casting interesting stars with cameo appearences, such as Bob Newhart and Robert Wagner, Cheryl Ladd to name a few. And Lindsey sort of resembles agent Bishop, looking forward to seeing that.

    • Recycle says:

      no doubt, but you left out the best one…Charles Durning from S2, ‘Call of Silence’. quite possibly the show’s finest hour to date.

  6. Jack says:

    Awesome!

  7. Dean says:

    Cool I think out of all the people who have came on NCIS this makes Bishop the only other character besides Ducky who’s mom is still alive Gibbs and Tony lost theirs as kids and McGee its never been mention if his was still around.

    • Kathy says:

      McGee’s mother has been mentioned several times, though not seen.

      • Dean says:

        the only known time was when McGee and the admiral, rest his soul, were talking in season 10 McGee said something about his mom enjoying him and his dad talking together still it never was really clear if mama McGee was still around.

    • Rambling Joe says:

      Ducky’s mom passed away a couple of seasons ago i believe. I think Kate’s mom was alive at Kate’s funeral (Its been so long since I saw that episode though, not positive).

  8. jj says:

    Nope. Not even bionic woman will bring me back to NCIS. Hate Bishop, she sucks!

    • Dean says:

      yes we know that its only NCIS to people like you if its 22 episodes of Tony Ziva and a motel room if you’re this bratty I can’t imagine how your parents deal with you.

    • Justafan says:

      You saw it was a story about Bishop and you read it and commented on it even though you hate her and don’t watch anymore?!?!
      You could have just passed on by. Saved yourself the minutes you wasted, minutes of your life you will never get back.
      Makes perfect sense to me.

  9. Justafan says:

    NCIS never ceases to amaze me when it comes to casting. Especially when it comes to family members. There’s just enough resemblance to make it believable.
    Thank you for the scoop!

  10. Jacks says:

    Let’s hope Bishop stays in Oklahoma. NCIS has made great casting choices in the past, but Bishop wasn’t one of them. I couldn’t care less about her storyline.

  11. JT says:

    Not to forget, Lindsay Wagner went on to star in some forty TV movies after “The Bionic Woman.” She ruled television for a couple decades with films like “The Incredible Journey of Dr. Meg Laurel,” “Callie & Son,” “Princess Daisy” and “The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story.” It’s so nice to see the special lady back in the acting saddle again.

  12. JBC says:

    I really didn’t like Bishop at first, but now I think they are writing the character better. I am liking her more now. As for casting an actress to play Bishop’s mom, I say very good choice with Lindsay Wagner!

  13. Lindsey will be great. She is a fantastic actress.

  14. Linda Sperling says:

    They could bring Sophia Loren on as Bishop’s mother and it wouldn’t improve the Bishop character. Instead of trying to make Bishop look good, just can her already.

    • Dean says:

      yeah yeah Ziva was NCIS all life on Earth exists because of her.

      • lsperling says:

        Did I mention “Ziva” in my post, Dean? No, I did not, so why don’t you take a chill pill and shut up. Not every comment expressing dislike for the Bishop character or asking for Bishop to be removed automatically means we’re asking for Ziva to come back. There are dozens of more talented actresses they could have put in that role.

        • Justafan says:

          And you would hate every last one of them.
          The whole line about it having nothing to do with you-know-who is a big fat lie.
          I would love to see one fan of she who will not be named, take out their anger and hatred on the one who walked away. The one who killed the tiva fantasy. The one who actually ruined the show and apparently entire lives in the process.
          That is not Emily Wickersham. All she did was accept a job that was offered to her.
          Cote de Pablo killed your dreams. She quit. Take your anger out on her and leave the rest of the cast alone! Grow up already!!